JOHANNESBURG (miningweekly.com) – National environmental group Lock the Gate Alliance has called on the Queensland government to ensure that Anglo American sell its Moranbah and Grosvenor coal mines to companies that could meet rehabilitation responsibilities.
Lock the Gate Alliance spokesperson Rick Humphries said in a statement on Wednesday that the Queensland government should vet the buyers of the Anglo mines to ensure that they had the capacity to meet the rehabilitation costs associated with the coal mines.
“We have already seen a history of big mining companies offloading their mines to smaller companies with questionable finances or ability to deliver on the rehabilitation and safety required once production comes to an end.”
Humphries said that Queensland should act to stop big mining companies defaulting on their responsibility to clean up when mining comes to an end.
“Mining companies have sent mega-profits offshore in the good times, but there’s now a danger Queensland communities will be left with the risks and costs of mine rehabilitation.
“The problem is only set to become bigger as the global coal market wanes and a wave of mine leases expire across the state around 2020,” he stated.
Anglo announced on Tuesday that it would sell the Moranbah North, Grosvenor and Moranbah South assets in the Bowen basin at Moranbah, as part of a group restructuring to focus on a core portfolio of diamonds, platinum-group metals and copper.
Anglo previously announced its intention to sell a number of coal assets, including the Callide, Dartbrook, Dawson, and Foxleigh mines.